AMC 327 head numbers

I recently purchased a '57 Rambler that has a later AMC 327. I am trying to determine the year of the engine. I was told that it is a '65 Ambassador engine. I can find no numbers on the block but the head numbers are both 3169513-1. Any help with these would be appreciated.

I know the '63-'66 (and thru '68 in Jeep) blocks had provisions for side engine mounts. The '56-'62 blocks used a front engine mount instead of the "Tri-Poised" side mounts.

I'm working on a Gen One list of casting/part numbers. The heads I can confirm are 1963 to 1966 287 V-8 heads from a couple lists I have. So a 1965 Ambassador engine could be what you have. There is a lip on the back of the block by the distributor and it should have a letter code relating to which engine it is.  For a 327 it should be an "E" into the drivers side of the block lip near the distributor. The later engine could been installed into the 1957 Rebel with mix and match parts from a latter 327, with out too much of a problem. I also have another casting number 315 2930 with a note that they were used in a Jeep, with a 287 ? Not sure I heard of any thing but a 327 V-8 being used in Jeeps of that period. A 287 V-8 should have a G instead E for the 327. F was suppose to be used for a 327 V-8 4 barrel . Not that the parts can not be mixed and matched as there is not that great a difference on any of the Gen One AMC V-8s. The difference in displacement is due a different crank/ stoke. Per say there were no other basic changes and the parts all pretty much interchange.  LRDaum

Yes, every thing is interchangeable. There no difference between 287 and 327 heads that I'm aware of. The only oddity is the are 1966 heads listed with air injection. Probably for California emissions. The 250 engine was made about 5 or 6 years, and frankly are pretty rare. The 287 was made only from 1963 to 1966 but , they were built in some volume, so are reasonably common. AMC had a history of using the same heads on the mid displacement engine 287/343/360 as on the bigger  327/390/401 engines. Only the smaller engine got smaller valve heads as a general rule.AMC did not really make a lot of changes and the back room NASCAR program went nowhere. The  327 era heads under perform in head flow for a number of reasons. I've only known hand full of people that could get the early 327 to really perform.But several of them are on this forum. LRDaum

Just a little more on the gen one AMC V-8 engine, the block have either the stroke on the bell housing lip or a letter code for the engine displacement depending on when the engine was built , ei the year it was cast and assembled. There should be a tag on the alternator / generator bracket on the front of the engine that gives a build day code for the date the engine was assembled. Easily changed or lost. As Frank said the gen one AMC V-8 is almost more of truck engine then a car engine. Very strong, takes awhile to get up to speed, but will stay there and run all day and most of the night. It's high torque engine but unfortunately not a real high horse power engine. You want a better camshaft you have to have a cam reground for it. There are almost no high performance parts for this engine. I've seen one after market aluminum intake for it in 45 years. It's challenge to make this engine performance well but it can be done. LRDaum